Wrap-around carriers provide a relatively inexpensive but effective means for packaging articles, requiring blanks of only minimum size which are capable of running on packaging machines at high speeds. A wrap around carrier is formed by first grouping the articles to be packaged in the same arrangement they will have in the package, then wrapping a carrier blank around the articles and securing the ends of the blank together. By tightly wrapping the articles, and also by having the bottom portions of the articles protrude through openings in the side panels of the carrier, the articles are contained in the carrier and prevented from falling out through the open ends. For example, cutouts in the side panels are employed to receive the flanges of cans and other flanged articles while heel cutouts in the lower portions of the side panels are employed to receive the heels or bases of bottles.
While such measures have been successful in containing bottles of traditional design in their wrap-around carriers, new bottle designs do not always lend themselves to conventional treatment. The trend to larger beverage bottles makes it incumbent to employ carriers that are not only structurally capable of supporting heavier loads but are able to positively prevent outward movement of the end bottles. This becomes more difficult when the bottle design is such that it no longer includes a conventionally shaped heel which normally would be held in place by a heel cutout. The packaging of bottles provided with petaloid bottom designs is particularly difficult in this respect.
It would be desirable to be able to employ wrap-around carriers to package bottles and other articles whose design makes it difficult or impossible to be held in place by side panel cutouts, and to do so without danger of the articles sliding out the ends of the carrier.